Dr. Mark D. Schwartz, a Distinguished Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, will give the Commencement Address at the Lyman Briggs College 2015 Commencement Ceremony. He will also receive a LBC Distinguished Alumni Award.

Prof. Schwartz earned his undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences from Lyman Briggs College. After graduating from LBC, he earned his master’s degree in geography from MSU’s College of Social Science and his Ph.D. in geography at the University of Kansas. He now serves as chair of the faculty senate executive committee and associate chair of the geography department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prof. Schwartz teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in remote sensing, climatology, and phenology.

Prof. Schwartz has focused his research on phenology, which is the study of weather and climate interactions with plant and animal life cycles. He looks specifically at the ways in which spring and autumn temperatures influence the development of plants and the ways in which plants influence the composition of the lower atmosphere. He has published over fifty articles on phenology in peer-reviewed journals. He also co-founded the USA National Phenology Network in an effort to expand the types and amount of data available to scientists. Prof. Schwartz now serves as Vice-Chair of the Network’s Advisory Committee.

LBC alumna, Ashima Saigal will also address the graduates.Saigal worked in several software development, database management, and consulting roles after graduating from LBC. She received her master’s degree in Computer and Information Sciences from Grand Valley State University. She is the founder of Database Sherpa, a technology consultancy that works with nonprofit organizations.

LBC’s Commencement Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 9th at 10:00am in MSU’s Auditorium. The ceremony is open seating and families, friends, and alumni are encouraged to attend. Attendees are invited to a reception immediately following the Commencement Ceremony in the east and west lower lounges of Shaw Hall (located on the terrace level).